Advice on late Sept. ADRs, especially with character meals

[TheLadyTremain]

Our trip is booked for late Sept. (9/24 to 10/1). I have been attempting to do ADRs and am having a ton of problems in getting my "preferred" ADRs. I can't seem to get a single character meal (besides Hollywood and Vine), regardless of day, meal time, etc. We are travling with 4 small children (three of whom are major Disney character fans) so I had hoped to do at least 2 character meals.

And unless I want to eat at 9pm, it seems that some of my dinner plans aren't going to happen.

I am totally frustrated. I realize it is a free dining month and I am late booking but I didn't think it would be this hard.

Would calling Disney Dining be better?
Our party is 9 people. Is that just too many people?

I won't lie...I am stressing and thinking maybe we should postpone the trip.

 

[Colleen27]

Just keep trying. A lot of people book hopeful/maybe ADRs and then end up cancelling if they can't afford or otherwise can't take the trip as planned. It is an unfortunate side-effect of the 180 booking window - it pushes people to make dining reservations before their travel plans are set and that means a lot of changes and cancellations. I'm not sure if calling would be better, because my understanding is that the dining CMs see basically the same search engine we see when we book online, but it couldn't hurt to try.

Personally I wouldn't worry too much over character meals. Book your dining at places that look good food-wise and enjoy the in-park characters instead. We've found the interaction to be better in the parks anyway. Every trip the character meals seem to get more rushed and more expensive with less actual character interaction. And despite free dining and the difficult ADR availability that's still a slower time of year in the parks, plus now Mickey & Minnie and the Princesses have fastpasses so character meals aren't the time-saver that they are in busier seasons.

 

[DaniB]

I know your pain. I had the perfect internary & dining ADRs at 180-days out! Last week our plans completely changed and I had to make up a new internary and find ADRs for 4 people.

So far I'm unable to get Ohana dinner, Chef Mickey breakfast, Garden Grill, Donald's Safari, or 1900 Park Fare diner - which ironically, I had ADRs for 2 that I cancel.

I need better times for Boma dinner. I snagged an early Ohana breakfast, but on the only day I would rather it not be on.

BTW, have you considered a Cape May Cafe breakfast? It's character dining and I hear lots of people say it's a hidden gem restaurant. I was able to get a 7:50 am on our Epcot day.

 

[squirrel]

Your dates fall in the last day of the new Free Dining pkg and last years Free Dining for this year.

I suspect it will be busier that week. I booked for the last day of Free Dining (last year) for this year (Oct 29). I'm sure a lot of people do that.

You can try booking seperate tables or even bump your table up to 10 guests (don't do that with anything that requires a CC hold) and see if that opens up anything.

 

[peachydreamyxx]

Im going the same week as you 9/23-10/2 and did my ADRS at the 180+ day mark. I decided the beginning of May that I wanted to switch some things around and have yet to be able to! We are also a large party, 8, so I think that plays into it. I hope you are able to grab some! When I went last year, they opened up a bunch of Chef Mickey ADRs in August. I do have an ADR for CM for 7 people on 9/28 at 645 that I am going to be cancelling. Maybe that will help? Let me know!

 

[let'sgo]

I would book a second choice now, and keep watching. Something may open up. If not, you have something to fall back on. I have had choices that weren't available that did open up later, and others that I just could not get.

Good luck!